New details are emerging about the 3,000 Russian-funded Facebook ads purchased by the Internet Research Agency, a Kremlin-linked troll farm operator, between June 2015 and May 2017.
Politico reports at least one ad promoted Jill Stein, the Green Party candidate, for president late in the campaign. Others supported Trump and Sanders and criticized Clinton, reportedly questioning her authenticity and highlighting liberal concerns with her candidacy.
In a separate story, CNN reveals the Russian firm bought at least one Black Lives Matter ad and targeted it at users in Ferguson, Missouri and Baltimore, Maryland where racial tensions were high. CNN notes Facebook already had revealed about a quarter of the 3,000 ads were targeted to specific geographic areas, but the specifics of where and to whom is new information.
Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, wants to know exactly how the Russians got their information:
"Did they know this just by following political news in America? Did they geo-target both geography and by demographics in ways that at least at first blush appear pretty sophisticated? These are the kind of questions that we need to get answered and that's why we need them in a public hearing."
Russian-funded Facebook ads backed Stein, Sanders and Trump (Politico)
Exclusive: Russian-bought Black Lives Matter ad on Facebook targeted Baltimore and Ferguson (CNN)